Dynamic application of schema framework for inventory management

This application is a National Stage of International Application No. PCT/US2022/034631 filed Jun. 23, 2022.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and systems for dynamic schema framework. More particularly embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and systems for dynamic schema framework using data modelling.

Mobile network operators invest significant resources in maintaining a central repository comprising data schemas and information associated with network devices, cell sites, RANs, etc., in the telecommunication network. Network operators may utilize the central repository to gather data about the network devices in the telecommunication network, assess network performance, and analyze improvements that may be needed. Central repositories may include a combination of different repositories in different data schemas. Traditional repository management tools require extensive efforts for integrating the different repositories, e.g., additional coding, testing, and deployment. Not only does this require manual and technical resources, it is also a time consuming process. Additionally, it may also result in the telecommunication network or at least some sections of the telecommunication network being offline or unavailable.

Therefore, dynamic methods of managing network devices in the telecommunication network and/or integrating network devices in the centralized repository are needed.

The following presents a simplified summary of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments nor delineate the scope of any or all embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

Methods, apparatuses, and non-transitory computer-readable mediums for visualization of coverage area deficiencies are provided.

According to embodiments, a method for managing network devices in a telecommunication network using a graph data schema may be provided. The method may be executed by one or more processors, and the method may include retrieving, from a database, an entity model specification associated with a network device being deployed, the entity model specification including a name of the entity model specification, a version, a type of network device, one or more operator specific characteristics, and one or more relationships; determining whether a base model associated with the entity model specification is supported; adding one or more vertex node labels in the graph data schema based on the name, the type of network device, and the version in the entity model specification; adding one or more characteristic nodes in the graph data schema based on one or more characteristics; adding one or more edges in the graph data schema on the one or more relationships in the entity model specification; and based on no error being generated, activating the graph data schema to manage the network device being deployed in the telecommunication network.

According to an embodiment, the entity model specification may be a first entity model specification, and the one or more operator specific characteristics may be one or more first operator specific characteristics, and wherein the method may further include updating the entity model specification associated with the network device to a second entity model specification associated with another network device being deployed, the second entity model specification including two or more second operator specific characteristics.

According to an embodiment, a number of total second operator specific characteristics in the second entity model specification may be greater than a number of total first operator specific characteristics in the first entity model specification.

According to an embodiment, prior to adding the one or more edges in the graph data schema, the method may include binding the one or more characteristic nodes to the one or more vertex node labels, and wherein the one or more bound characteristic nodes are only associated with the one or more vertex node labels to which they are bound.

According to an embodiment, wherein activating the graph data schema may include making the graph data schema available to a user.

According to an embodiment, wherein the entity model specification may further include one or more indices and one or more constraints.

According to an embodiment, each of the one or more relationships may indicate an association between the network device and a subsection of the telecommunication network.

According to embodiments, an apparatus for managing network devices in a telecommunication network using a graph data schema. The apparatus may include a memory storing instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions. The instructions may include instructions to retrieve, from a database, an entity model specification associated with a network device being deployed, the entity model specification including a name of the entity model specification, a version, a type of network device, one or more operator specific characteristics, and one or more relationships; determine whether a base model associated with the entity model specification is supported; add one or more vertex node labels in the graph data schema based on the name, the type of network device, and the version in the entity model specification; add one or more characteristic nodes in the graph data schema based on one or more characteristics; add one or more edges in the graph data schema on the one or more relationships in the entity model specification; and based on no error being generated, activate the graph data schema to manage the network device being deployed in the telecommunication network.

According to embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable medium having recorded thereon instructions executable by at least one processor to perform a method for managing network devices in a telecommunication network using a graph data schema. The method may include retrieving, from a database, an entity model specification associated with a network device being deployed, the entity model specification including a name of the entity model specification, a version, a type of network device, one or more operator specific characteristics, and one or more relationships; determining whether a base model associated with the entity model specification is supported; adding one or more vertex node labels in the graph data schema based on the name, the type of network device, and the version in the entity model specification; adding one or more characteristic nodes in the graph data schema based on one or more characteristics; adding one or more edges in the graph data schema on the one or more relationships in the entity model specification; and based on no error being generated, activating the graph data schema to manage the network device being deployed in the telecommunication network.

Additional embodiments will be set forth in the description that follows and, in part, will be apparent from the description, and/or may be learned by practice of the presented embodiments of the disclosure.

The following detailed description of example embodiments refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements.

The foregoing disclosure provides illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the implementations to the precise form disclosed. Modifications and variations are possible in light of the above disclosure or may be acquired from practice of the implementations. Further, one or more features or components of one embodiment may be incorporated into or combined with another embodiment (or one or more features of another embodiment). Additionally, in the flowcharts and descriptions of operations provided below, it is understood that one or more operations may be omitted, one or more operations may be added, one or more operations may be performed simultaneously (at least in part), and the order of one or more operations may be switched.

It will be apparent that systems and/or methods, described herein, may be implemented in different forms of hardware, firmware, or a combination of hardware and software. The actual specialized control hardware or software code used to implement these systems and/or methods is not limiting of the implementations. Thus, the operation and behavior of the systems and/or methods were described herein without reference to specific software code—it being understood that software and hardware may be designed to implement the systems and/or methods based on the description herein.

Even though particular combinations of features are recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification, these combinations are not intended to limit the disclosure of possible implementations. In fact, many of these features may be combined in ways not specifically recited in the claims and/or disclosed in the specification. Although each dependent claim listed below may directly depend on only one claim, the disclosure of possible implementations includes each dependent claim in combination with every other claim in the claim set.

No element, act, or instruction used herein should be construed as critical or essential unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the articles “a” and “an” are intended to include one or more items, and may be used interchangeably with “one or more.” Where only one item is intended, the term “one” or similar language is used. Also, as used herein, the terms “has,” “have,” “having,” “include,” “including,” or the like are intended to be open-ended terms. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise. Furthermore, expressions such as “at least one of [A] and [B]” or “at least one of [A] or [B]” are to be understood as including only A, only B, or both A and B.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the indicated embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present solution. Thus, the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the present disclosure may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, in light of the description herein, that the present disclosure can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the present disclosure.

Mobile network operators invest significant resources in maintaining a central repository comprising data schemas and information associated with network devices, cell sites, RANs, etc., in the telecommunication network. Network operators may utilize the central repository to gather data about the network devices in the telecommunication network, assess network performance, and analyze improvements that may be needed. Central repositories may include a combination of different repositories in different data schemas. Traditional repository management tools require extensive efforts for integrating the different repositories, e.g., additional coding, testing, and deployment. Not only does this require manual and technical resources, it is also a time consuming process. Additionally, it may also result in the telecommunication network or at least some sections of the telecommunication network being offline or unavailable. Therefore, dynamic methods of managing network devices in the telecommunication network and/or integrating network devices in the centralized repository are needed.

According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a dynamic schema framework may be provided to dynamically create, enhance, or implement a data model on the fly to manage the central repository without changing any code logic on the backend. According to embodiments, interface design and implementation may include a method, system, and/or program code to create, enhance, or implement a new or revised data model (e.g., graph data model) without additional coding, testing, and deployment and without the telecommunication system being offline for any length of time. Embodiments of the present disclosure enable adding, creating, and implementing data schemas associated with new entities or modify data schemas associated with entities already existing in the central repository.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may enable network operators or system admins to create, upload, modify, or implement data schemas or data models easily using a simplified user interface. The simplified user interface may automatically trigger the network operator or system admin requested changes and/or additions to the data schemas, or data models using application programming interfaces (APIs). Additionally, in some embodiments, the network operator and/or system admin may also create indexes and database constraints enabling overall and simplified schema management on the fly or in real time. The indexes available in the model metadata may be checked for the class type. Two kind of indexes may be created, one may be composite index and other may be mixed index. These two has different approach to enable them into the system.

Once index is done schema apply process done that model specification applied to the database and system mark the status as “active”.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a number of technical benefits. As an example, enabling on the fly schema management with seamless application to integrate network devices in a telecommunication network's centralized repository circumvents the need to individually code, test, and deploy data schemas for integration or even modification of existing data schemas. This enables fast application of changes to the central repository of the telecommunication system improving the overall computing capacity of the telecommunication network and reducing times that the telecommunication network may need to be offline. Thus, embodiments of the present disclosure enable improved computing within the telecommunication network, improve the online time of the telecommunication network, improve the efficiency of resource usage by the telecommunication network, and enable better access and analysis of data associated with the network devices of the telecommunication network.

is a flowchart illustrating an example processfor creating and/or activating a data schema for managing network devices in a telecommunication network, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

According to embodiments, a data modelling methodologies (e.g., data modelling languages such as Yet Another Next Generation (YANG)) may be used for data schema creation, manage state data, schema modification, and other administrative actions associated with network entities using one or more networking protocols. In some embodiments, the data modelling language, e.g., YANG, may be modified or extended to add a number attributes that are needed to capture some additional information that is not supported by default.

At operation, an entity model specification associated with a network device being deployed may be retrieved from a database. The entity model specification may include at least one of a name of the entity model specification, a version, a type of network device, one or more operator specific characteristics, and one or more relationships.

In some embodiments, the entity model specification may be a first entity model specification, and the one or more operator specific characteristics may be one or more first operator specific characteristics. In some embodiments, the entity model specification associated with the network device may be updated to a second entity model specification associated with another network device being deployed, the second entity model specification including two or more second operator specific characteristics. In some embodiments, a number of total second operator specific characteristics in the second entity model specification may be greater than or equal to a number of total first operator specific characteristics in the first entity model specification.

In some embodiments, the entity model specification stored in the database may be in the form of metadata. In some embodiments, values and metadata from the entity specification may be stored in separate databases. In some embodiments, values and metadata from the entity specification may be stored in a same database. Once an entity model specification is stored in a database, the network operator or system admin may enable the application of the stored entity model specification and change the state to a ready state. Entity model specifications may be applied and implemented as network device representations for management of the network devices in the telecommunication network. In some embodiments, only entity model specifications in a ready state may be implemented as network device representations for management of the network devices in the telecommunication network.

An entity model specification may include a data schema associated with a network entity (e.g., a file or any known data structure). The entity model specification file may include data schema details for different sections of any entity for that model type. In some embodiments, the entity model specification file may include a module name, version information, or superclass information. These may be converted to parent attributes. The entity model specification file may include information associated with one or more classes within the entity model. In some embodiments, the entity model specification file may include attributes for the one or more classes, which may be converted into entity characteristics. In some embodiments, the entity model specification file may include relationships for the one or more classes, which may be converted into entity relationships. In some embodiments, the entity model specification file may include indices for the one or more classes, which may be converted into entity indexes. The indexes available in the model metadata may be checked for the class type. Two kind of indexes may be created, one may be composite index and other may be mixed index. These two has different approach to enable them into the system. In some embodiments, the entity model specification file may include constraints for the one or more classes, which may be converted into entity constraints. The entity model specification file may be created by a user, network operator, or a system admin using a simplified user interface including one or more APIs and stored on one or more databases to preserve the entity specification and enable efficient and quick implementation of the same.

At operation, whether a base model is supported or not is determined. In some embodiments, the retrieved entity model specification may include a base model specification. Determining whether a base model is supported may include determining that a minimal amount of information related to the entity or as required by a base model is present in the entity model specification. In some embodiments, determining whether a base model is supported may include determining that there are no missing mandatory attributes or characteristics. As an example, determining whether a base model is supported may include whether mandatory attributes indicating a source of the entity, a version, a base model type, or a relation to a base model are present. Based on determining that the base model is not supported, an error message may be generated. The error message may be displayed on the simplified user interface.

At operation, one or more vertex node labels may be added to the graph data schema. A vertex node label may define the type of device and/or its functionality, providing details and characteristics associated to the type of device and/or functionality. In some embodiments, a vertex node label may include only information associated with that specific device. As an example, a vertex node may be a server and the vertex node label may contain information describing that the vertex node is a server and providing identifying characteristics. As another example, while using YANG, the vertex node label may include vertex label information based on the yang @type information in the schema.

At operation, one or more characteristic nodes may be added to the graph data schema. Characteristic nodes may include one or more operator specific characteristics. In some embodiments, the entity model specification may include information associated with one or more classes within the entity model. In some embodiments, the entity model specification file may include attributes for the one or more classes, which may be converted into entity characteristics.

In some embodiments, prior to adding the one or more edges in the graph data schema, the method may include binding the one or more characteristic nodes to the one or more vertex nodes, and wherein the one or more bound characteristic nodes are only associated with the one or more vertex nodes to which they are bound. Thus, binding all available properties are bound with the vertex label so that these properties will only available for this vertex while data ingestion.

At operation, one or more edges may be added to the graph data schema. In some embodiments, the entity model specification may include relationships for the one or more classes, which may be converted into entity relationships and represented as edges in the graph data schema. In some embodiments, the entity model specification may include constraints for the one or more classes, which may be converted into entity constraints, and may be represented as edges in the graph data schema. The one or more relationships indicates an association between the network device and a subsection of the telecommunication network.

According to embodiments, all the properties that need to be created into the graph data schema based on the entity model specification.

At operation, based on no error being generated during operations-, activating the graph data schema to manage the network device being deployed in the telecommunication network.

is a diagram of an example environmentin which systems and/or methods, described herein, may be implemented. As shown in, environmentmay include a user device, a platform, and a network. Devices of environmentmay interconnect via wired connections, wireless connections, or a combination of wired and wireless connections. In embodiments, any of the functions and operations described with reference toabove may be performed by any combination of elements illustrated in.

User deviceincludes one or more devices capable of receiving, generating, storing, processing, and/or providing information associated with the centralized repository or platform. For example, user devicemay include a computing device (e.g., a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a handheld computer, a smart speaker, a server, etc.), a mobile phone (e.g., a smart phone, a radiotelephone, etc.), a wearable device (e.g., a pair of smart glasses or a smart watch), or a similar device. In some implementations, user devicemay receive information from and/or transmit information to platform.

Platformincludes one or more devices capable of receiving, generating, storing, processing, and/or providing information. In some implementations, platformmay include a cloud server or a group of cloud servers. In some implementations, platformmay be designed to be modular such that certain software components may be swapped in or out depending on a particular need. As such, platformmay be easily and/or quickly reconfigured for different uses.

In some implementations, as shown, platformmay be hosted in cloud computing environment. Notably, while implementations described herein describe platformas being hosted in cloud computing environment, in some implementations, platformmay not be cloud-based (i.e., may be implemented outside of a cloud computing environment) or may be partially cloud-based.

Cloud computing environmentincludes an environment that hosts platform. Cloud computing environmentmay provide computation, software, data access, storage, etc. services that do not require end-user (e.g., user device) knowledge of a physical location and configuration of system(s) and/or device(s) that hosts platform. As shown, cloud computing environmentmay include a group of computing resources(referred to collectively as “computing resources” and individually as “computing resource”).

Computing resourceincludes one or more personal computers, a cluster of computing devices, workstation computers, server devices, or other types of computation and/or communication devices. In some implementations, computing resourcemay host platform. The cloud resources may include compute instances executing in computing resource, storage devices provided in computing resource, data transfer devices provided by computing resource, etc. In some implementations, computing resourcemay communicate with other computing resourcesvia wired connections, wireless connections, or a combination of wired and wireless connections.

As further shown incomputing resourceincludes a group of cloud resources, such as one or more applications (“APPs”)-, one or more virtual machines (“VMs”)-, virtualized storage (“VSs”)-, one or more hypervisors (“HYPs”)-, or the like.

Application-includes one or more software applications that may be provided to or accessed by user device. Application-may eliminate a need to install and execute the software applications on user device. For example, application-may include software associated with platformand/or any other software capable of being provided via cloud computing environment. In some implementations, one application-may send/receive information to/from one or more other applications-, via virtual machine-.

Virtual machine-includes a software implementation of a machine (e.g., a computer) that executes programs like a physical machine. Virtual machine-may be either a system virtual machine or a process virtual machine, depending upon use and degree of correspondence to any real machine by virtual machine-. A system virtual machine may provide a complete system platform that supports execution of a complete operating system (“OS”). A process virtual machine may execute a single program, and may support a single process. In some implementations, virtual machine-may execute on behalf of a user (e.g., user device), and may manage infrastructure of cloud computing environment, such as data management, synchronization, or long-duration data transfers.